I Just Want to Stuff a Burger in My Face

So I may be exaggerating a bit with the title and I really do not feel that way all of the time, but sometimes, you just want a big burger!

Donovan is ALWAYS helping us!

The beginning of the New Year is a time for many to start new. Most of the time, this includes a new healthy lifestyle by the “latest diet” or “trendiest workout system”. It is a time where they gyms are obnoxiously full and you have to beat your way to claim a bench or a machine. But it is amazing when people begin that new healthy way of living and stick through it until they get to their goal results!

I have been to gyms before where I would think, I am going to stick with only “cardio” because if I lift weights, I may get too bulky OR all I have to do is run on the treadmill and eat whatever I want and I will magically have abs. How naïve and un-educated I was!!! Right after I had Donovan and I hit 28 years old, I stepped into a gym with my best friend Shelly, and for the first time, lifted a 5 lb. weight. After doing a first circuit of weight lifting, I could not move for a 4 days…but ever since then, I have gained knowledge, passion, heavier weights and strength for the last 4 years.

After figuring out a routine workout throughout my week and meal prepping for one year, I craved better results. My results began to come to a standstill and it has been until this last couple of months that I have decided to seek the help of a profesh.  I have a nutrition coach who helps me figure out my macros (protein, fat, carbs) to lower my body fat percentage and to help with my muscle gain and it has been one of the best decisions this year! I am enrolled through Copper State FIT and they help people reach whatever goals they may have for their health and body through realistic food goals that goes along with your lifestyle.

So here are the steps of my meal prepping life and how I go about it. Honestly, it does take more time, dedication, a little more money (because you are grocery shopping weekly for clean/whole/fresh food) and preparation, however it really does get easy once you CONSISTENTLY do it and yes, CONSISTENCY is the KEY! Total prep time for us every Saturday or Sunday takes about 1-1/2 to 2 hours. Tony throws all of the meat on the BBQ and I do all of the veggies and execution.

Veggies prepped and ready for cooking!

1.       Planning: I plan out my ENTIRE week of food. This includes, breakfast, midmorning snack, lunch, afternoon snack and dinner. Some may say this is way too much but it works for me! It keeps me from wandering aimlessly around the grocery store.

2.       Grocery shopping: through this meal plan written out, I am able to narrow down my list. Usually, my list consists of fresh veggies (lots of broccoli, sweet potato, green beans, carrots, potatoes, bell peppers, etc), fresh fruits (fresh pineapple, strawberries, grapes, grapefruit, apples, etc), chicken (ALWAYS), ground turkey, and apple juice (for Donovan J). I make a bi weekly trip to Costco for my bread, eggs, avocados and ground turkey. Gotta love Costco!!!

3.        Recording: I record and count all of my calories, protein, fat and carbs. My Fitness Pal App does it all for me! The free version works just fine for me and it has pretty much all brands of food to enter to get the most accurate calories and macros. 

4.       Calories and Macros: I have left all of this up to my fitness/health coach. She has me on a very low calorie count, 1,170 (to better fit MY goals and MY body type), 35% protein, 40% carbs and 25% fats. This is all tailored to me and takes into consideration how often I lift, do cardio, body frame, what my personal goals are, etc

5.       Preparation: Once we grocery shop on either Saturday or Sunday morning, it is prepping time! Tony is in charge of all meat which is throwing all of the chicken or steak or fish on the BBQ. In the meantime, I am preparing everything else which may include rice, quinoa, veggies and/or fruit.

6.       Portion it out: Once EVERYTHING is done I weigh and portion EVERYTHING! And place them in these containers that I bought on Amazon. These meals are all of my lunches and dinners for the next 5 days. 

7.       Breakfast and snacks: I do plan these out as well but I usually prep these the day of.

Usually my everyday breakfast kit I take to work to eat there

You may be reading this and might think, wow this is a lot! But trust me when I say, it really isn’t when you make this your priority AND your lifestyle change that caters to you. Really, it is all about the prepping, logging, eating clean and whole foods (1-3 ingredient recipes are SO much easier to track!), and CONSISTENCY!

Here is what is CONSISTENTLY (There’s that word again!) in my shopping cart every week:

EGGS!! SO MANY EGGS! (I keep as much protein in everything I eat so that I can meet my protein goal. I DO NOT want to lose too much muscle…so protein it up!)

Sweet potatoes

Rice

Broccoli

Chicken

Bell Peppers

Ground Turkey

Canadian Bacon

Pineapple (lately I have been OBSESSED with this!)

Greek yogurt (Tillamook obvi!)

Here are a couple of my favorite things to eat:

Breakfast sandwich

Mediterranean chicken wrap

BBQ chicken (no sauce) and veggies

Turkey Meatballs

Turkey Chili

Chicken Fried Rice

Protein Pancake

Chicken and Grilled Pineapple

I still LOVE my brunching and I do BELIEVE that there is a balance that you need to find with healthy eats and being happy! Sure, I like to have a cocktail here and there and of course you all know my love for brunch spots in Seattle but again, it's all about balance!

Anyways…..I hope this helps some of you guys because trust me, I am still learning and trying to figure this thing out! Happy Eating and Happy HEALTHY lifestyle everyone!

XOXO

Tiff